…unsettled/unphased…
The origins of …unsettled, unphased… are found in a variety of sources. Its rhythmic roots are found in traditional Eastern European folk and dance music, American jazz and English progressive rock. Its tonal roots combine serial (and 12-tone) techniques with freely chromatic motivic development with nods to Debussy and Bartók. Its overall formal structure is derived from the so-called sonata-rondo hybrid, with a few interjections of additional material thrown in for good measure. Its instrumentation consists of four instruments whose roles in chamber music – classical music – are hotly contested:Are they classical or jazz instruments? (It doesn’t really matter, does it?) Its texture is rather simple throughout most of the work, as the players frequently play in rhythmic unison or in rhythmic heterophony, with a few departures into pointillism, imitation and homophony.
…unsettled, unphased… is loud chamber music intended as a concert opener or closer.
It was composed in June 2014.